FIREPROOF UNIT FOR A SLIDING CLOSURE AT THE SPOUT OF A CONTAINER FOR METAL MELT

Abstract

The invention relates to a fireproof unit for a sliding closure at the spout of a container containing metal melt, comprising a fireproof adapter block (21) that can be placed on the container spout, a fireproof bottom plate (10) connected thereto, to which bottom plate a slidable fireproof sliding plate (18) can be connected, wherein the sliding plate allows the sliding closure (1) to be opened or closed. In addition to the first bottom plate (10) connected to the adapter block (21), a second bottom plate (12) adjoins the adapter block. The second bottom plate can be slid in under the adapter block to replace the first bottom plate. The adapter block (21) has such a length in the direction of the second bottom plate (12) that the adapter block is in sliding contact with said second bottom plate (12) at the lower sliding surface (21′) of the adapter block.

Description

The invention relates to a refractory unit for a sliding gate at the spout of a container containing metal melt, comprising a refractory adapter block that can be placed on the container spout, a refractory bottom plate connected thereto, to which bottom plate a slidable refractory sliding plate can be connected, wherein the sliding plate allows the sliding gate to be opened or closed, in addition to the first bottom plate connected to the adapter block, a second bottom plate adjoining the adapter block, which second bottom plate can be slid in under the adapter block to replace the first bottom plate.

Sliding gates at the spout of containers for metal melt are known in a wide variety of configurations. A sliding gate which is used in particular for opening and closing a converter spout opening is disclosed, for example, in EP 0 819 488 B1. It comprises a housing frame in which are located a stationary refractory valve plate (a so-called bottom plate) and a refractory sliding plate held in a sliding unit and which can be displaced relative to said bottom plate. The sliding plate can be pressed tightly against a lower sliding surface of the bottom plate with its upper sliding surface. The housing frame is releaseably attached to a base plate secured to the container, it being possible to brace the bottom plate over its upper sliding surface with a refractory spout head part inserted into the base plate. During casting operation the refractory parts are subjected to strong wear and tear. It is therefore necessary to replace them relatively frequently. For this purpose the housing frame must be respectively detached from the base plate.

The present invention is based upon the object of providing a refractory unit for a sliding gate at the spout of a container for metal melt, in particular a converter, in which the exchangeability in particular of the refractory bottom plates of this unit can be implemented reliably and easily.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a valve plate having the features of claim 1 and by a sliding gate having the features of claim 5.

Further preferred configurations of the valve plate according to the invention form the subject matter of the dependent claims.

With the refractory unit according to the invention replacement of the bottom plates when the sliding gate is fitted can be implemented without any problem.

In the following the invention is described in more detail by means of the drawings. These show as follows:

FIG. 1 is a cross section of a sliding gate with a cassette located in an initial position and containing two bottom plates; and

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the sliding gate according to FIG. 5, with the cassette in a final position.

A sliding gate 1 according to FIG. 1 is preferably disposed on the spout of a converter of which only a base plate 32 carrying the sliding gate 1 is visible, in which a refractory adapter block 21 is fitted. The sliding gate 1 has a housing frame 30 with a cassette 40 in which a refractory bottom plate 10 and a second bottom plate 12 that is also refractory are inserted. Furthermore, there is disposed in the housing frame 30 a slider unit 20 with a refractory sliding plate 18 and a refractory spout cover 19 connected to the latter.

For the opening and closing of the sliding gate 1 the slider unit 20 is moved perpendicularly to the image plane together with the sliding plate 18 and the spout cover 19 located beneath the latter, this not being illustrated in detail.

In the sliding gate 1 the one bottom plate 10 can be moved out of the operating position by displacing the cassette 40 by means of a drive 34 provided for example as a cylinder unit and be replaced by the other valve plate 12 without having to dismantle the housing frame 30.

FIG. 2 shows the refractory unit 5 for the sliding gate 1 which is provided with a refractory adapter block 21 than can be placed on the container spout. Connected to this is the refractory bottom plate 10 to which the displaceable refractory sliding plate 18 and the spout cover 19 can be connected. There is a second bottom plate 12 adjacent to the first bottom plate 10 connected to the adapter block 21. The two bottom plates 10, 12 are advantageously designed with identical external dimensions, the first bottom plate 10 being aligned with its opening concentric to that of the adapter block 21.

According to the invention the adapter block 21 has a length in the direction of the second bottom plate 12 such that it is in sliding contact with its lower sliding surface 21′ with this second bottom plate 12. Advantageously the adapter block 21 is in sliding contact with this second bottom plate 12 at least over a length of a couple of millimetres.

The adapter block 21 has a round external form and correspondingly lies in the form of segments on the upper sliding surface 12′ of the second bottom plate 12. It is provided on its lower sliding surface 21′, at least in the region standing with this second bottom plate 12, with bevelling 29. Advantageously such bevelling 29 is also provided opposite if the bottom plate 10 is slid in from the other side.

The refractory parts of this refractory unit 5 respectively comprise at least one zircon insert or the like and a refractory mass surrounding the latter. In addition, there are also metal cassettes respectively forming the outer periphery. A gradation 10″, 12″, 18″ provided all around is respectively assigned to the bottom or slider plate which enables almost play-free insertion of the latter into the housing frame 30 or into the slider unit 20.

Claims

1. A refractory unit for a sliding gate at the spout of a container containing metal melt, comprising a refractory adapter block (21) that can be placed on the container spout, a refractory bottom plate (10) connected thereto, against which bottom plate a slidable refractory sliding plate (18) can be pressed, wherein the sliding plate allows the sliding gate (1) to be opened or closed, in addition to the first bottom plate connected to the adapter block (21), a second bottom plate adjoining the adapter block, which second bottom plate can be slid in under the adapter block to replace the first bottom plate, characterised in that the adapter block (21) has a length in the direction of the second bottom plate (12) such that it is in sliding contact with its lower sliding surface (21′) with this second bottom plate (12).

2. The refractory unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the adapter block (21) is in sliding contact with this second bottom plate (12) at least over a length of a couple of millimetres.

3. The refractory unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the adapter block (21) has a round external form and lies in the form of segments on the upper sliding surface (12′) of the second bottom plate (12).

4. The refractory unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the adapter block (21) has bevelling (29) on its lower sliding surface (21′), at least in the region standing with this second bottom plate (12).

5. The refractory unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the first and the second bottom plate (10, 12) are designed with identical external dimensions, the first bottom plate (10) being aligned with its opening concentric to that of the adapter block (21).

6. The refractory unit according to claim 1, characterised in that a gradation (10″, 12″) provided all around is assigned respectively to the bottom plates (10, 12) for insertion into a housing frame (3) and which are arranged against the adapter block (21).

7. A sliding gate comprising a refractory unit according to claim 1, comprising a housing frame (30) that can be attached to a spout of the container for holding a refractory bottom plate (10) and a slider unit (20) comprising a refractory sliding plate (18) that can be pressed tight against the bottom plate (10), there being a second bottom plate (12) adjacent to the first bottom plate (10) connected to an adapter block (21) that can be used with the container spout, which second bottom plate can be slid in under the adapter block to replace the first bottom plate, characterised in that the adapter block (21) has in the direction of the second bottom plate (12) a length such that it is in sliding contact with this second bottom plate (12) with its lower sliding surface (21′), a cassette (40) comprising at least two bottom plates that can be held next to one another being contained in the housing frame (30), the cassette (40) being displaceable in the housing frame (30) such that the bottom plate (10) located in the operating position can be replaced by the second bottom plate (12).

8. The sliding gate according to claim 7, characterised in that the cassette (40) can be displaced to and fro between an initial position and a final position by means of a drive (34).

9. The sliding gate according to claim 7, characterised in that the cassette (40) has edging with a graduated profile in which the bottom plate (10) and the second bottom plate (12) are inserted almost without any play.